The new iPhone, which is expected to be unveiled next month, is rumored to include a long list of enhancements. A larger screen, LTE-compatibility, and a faster processor are all on the menu for possible features.

But amidst all of these new components, the question of battery life arises. The iPhone 4S is frequently criticized for its poor battery, so wouldn’t adding all of these things make it worse? Not necessarily…

The photo above, which was obtained by known part-finder Sonny Dickson and published by 9to5Mac, is of what’s believed to be the new iPhone’s battery. It’s rated at 1440 mAh, up from the 1430 mAh model found in the 4S, and also has a higher voltage. And according to the label, it was just made back in June.

While these details make a compelling argument that this is indeed the new iPhone’s battery, there’s no way to confirm it. As the site points out, due to the small jump in capacity, this could be a tweaked battery for a retooled 4S (like they did with the iPhone 4 last year), or a worthless part from a scrapped prototype.

But if it is the real deal — the new battery for the sixth-generation iPhone — then Apple has their work cut out for them. The expected 4-inch screen contains more pixels than its predecessor, which means more power, and LTE, which is also practically a given feature at this point, is also a known battery-killer.

So does that mean we’ll all have to continue to endure battery problems with the new iPhone? Not likely. Advancements in low-powered processors and LTE chipsets will help to offset the consumption of the larger display and additional features. But unless Apple has a trick, or a bigger battery, up its sleeves, we’re not expecting anything spectacular as far as battery life in the upcoming handset.

So many questions, so little answers. September 12 can’t come soon enough.

What are your thoughts on battery life? Will it be a deciding factor in whether you get the new iPhone or not?